Adam Smith Foundation
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This article concerns the Adam Smith Foundation based in the state of Missouri in the United States, as opposed to the Adam Smith Foundation based at the University of Glasgow in Scotland.
The Adam Smith Foundation is a 501(c)(4) conservative advocacy organization formed in June, 2007.[1] Jo Mannies, in a blog entry in St. Louis Post Dispatch, claimed that the organization was founded by a group of Missouri Republican activists.[2]
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[edit] Objectives
[edit] Judicial Reform
The Adam Smith Foundation opposes the process by which Missouri's appellate judges are appointed. This process is known as the "Missouri Nonpartisan Court Plan,"[3] and the Missouri Plan. Shortly after its launch the Foundation sponsored a series of radio ads[4] and billboards critical of the Missouri Plan method for the nonpartisan selection of judges.
[edit] Tax Reform
The Adam Smith Foundation believes in low taxes and making sure that the government lives within its means. In an Op-Ed piece published in the Southeast Missourian, John Elliott, the President of the Adam Smith Foundation, argued that the recent state surplus should be given back to the public either through tax cuts or through a large refund.[5]
[edit] Criticism
California's Proposition 23 The foundation had only $109 in December of last year, and has never been involved in large scale campaigns or anything outside of Missouri, so its contribution of nearly half a million dollars to the campaign to undo California's clean air law has led to calls for investigations. According to Los Angeles Times, "Who in Missouri could have an interest in killing a California greenhouse gas program? Harris and Elliott both went out of their way, curiously, to mention the effect environmental regulations have on coal. "Anything to do with energy affects Missouri, No. 1 because we rely heavily on coal," Elliott said. Harris observed, "We in Missouri generate 80% of our electricity from coal."
The No on 23 campaign points out that Ohio-based Murray Energy Corp., which bills itself as the nation's largest privately owned coal company, has contributed $30,000 to the Proposition 23 campaign. It also turned up the fact that several utilities are clients of a marketing and website design firm run by Elliott and his wife." 7
The Springfield News-Leader has run a column accusing the foundation of a misleading billboard campaign on "activist judges."[6]
[edit] References
- ^ The Adam Smith Foundation
- ^ Jo Mannies (2007-08-15). "Adam Smith group launching radio ads against judges". St. Louis Post Dispatch. http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/political-fix/political-fix/2007/08/updated-adam-smith-group-launching-radio-ads-against-judges/. Retrieved 2008-02-08.[dead link]
- ^ Missouri Nonpartisan Court Plan Your Missouri Courts
- ^ Missourinet: Quiet Process of Choosing Supreme Court Judge Anything But
- ^ John Elliott. "Excessive Tax Haul Belongs to the People." Southeast Missourian July 21, 2007.
- ^ Contributions will continue to flow in Missouri governor’s race Steve Kraske Kansas City Star Jul. 21, 2007
7. Los Angeles Times "Trying to shed light on a shadowy figure in Proposition 23 battle"
[edit] External links
[1] San Jose, CA Mercury News: "Opponents of California global warming law turn in signatures for November measure"
Los Angeles Times "Trying to shed light on a shadowy figure in Proposition 23 battle"
